Mannenliefde Saison Named Best Beer At 2025 Brussels Beer Challenge

Amsterdam-based Oedipus Brewing’s Mannenliefde saison was named Best of Show at the 2025 Brussels Beer Challenge, rising to the top of than 1,700 beers submitted by breweries from 36 countries.

Founded in 2012, the Brussels Beer Challenge is an annual international competition held in Belgium, a country with a longstanding brewing tradition. Each year, dozens of judges—including brewers, beer sommeliers, journalists, and buyers—evaluate entries over several days through blind tastings. Beers are awarded medals within their categories, and a small number are selected for top distinctions such as Best Hoppy Beer and Best of Show, accolades that often bring increased international attention and market visibility.

Mannenliefde, brewed with Sorachi Ace hops, lemongrass, and Szechuan pepper, impressed judges with its balance and restraint. “When the beer is fresh, it’s simply fantastic, something that really comes through in a blind tasting,” said Luc De Raedemaeker, beer sommelier, editor-in-chief of Grand Cru beerand co-founder of the Brussels Beer Challenge. “The hops and pepper are fully integrated.”

Beyond its flavor profile, Mannenliefde has long stood out for its branding and cultural messaging. The beer’s pink packaging — featuring an illustration of a heart shaved into body hair — and its name, which translates from Dutch as “men’s love,” were conceived as a response to narrow and gendered norms in beer marketing. In 2017, Oedipus released a short

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Fast Facts: Oedipus Brewing Men’s love

ABV: 6%
Style: Farmhouse-style saison, brewed with Sorachi Ace hops, lemongrass, and Szechuan pepper
Notable awards: Best of Show at the Brussels Beer Challenge (2025); gold medalist at the World Beer Cup (2025; 2023) and the Brussels Beer Challenge (2025; 2023)